Thomas w



(No Model.) T. W. FOX.

BUTTON; I No. 366,769. Patented July 19, 1887.

WWW mu INVBNTOR u. ravens. mwum n mr. wahimmi E's UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS V. FOX, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

BUTTON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,769, dated July 19, 1887.

Application filed July 24. 1886. Sex in] No. '2f8,917. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. Fox, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, county and State of New York, have invented a certain useful Improvement in Buttons, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to reversible or changeable buttons, and has for its object to provide a simple, inexpensiye, and readily-adj ustable button of this class, which when its face having letters, symbolic characters, or ornaments in relief is turned inward will have no effect to wear the fabric of the garment to which the button is attached.

The invention consists in certain novel features. in the construction of the button, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which similar letters of reference indieate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the two parts of the button detached one from the other, and with the metal facing of the buttonbody outermost; and Fig. 2 is a central sectional elevation of the button as adjusted for use, with theplain face of the buttonbody outside or at the front of the button.

The button consists of a main body part, A, and an inner or back shield or cover, B, having a central stem, 0, by which it is secured to the body A, or, rather, by which the body is secu red to the shield, as presently explained.

The body A of the button is made with a metal face-plate, a, on which letters or symbols indicating the duties or rank of a public or private officer will be produced in relief or otherwisesueh for instance as the word conductor, or police, or fireman, or military or naval symbols. The button face-plate a shown has on it the word conductor and a few stars, all in relief.

To the metal facing a of the button is attached permanently in any approved way a back filling or head, a, which may be made of rubber, horn, bone, or any other composition or substance, and serves as a reverse or plain side or face to the body of the button.

The back-shield B is preferably made concavoconvex in form, to fit either face of the button-body A, and is shown provided with an eye, I), for passage of thread for attaching the shield to a coat or other garment; but holes may be provided in the shield for the passage of the fi1stening-thread, and instead of the eye I), if preferred.

The shieldstem 0 projects from the center of the concave or outer face of the shield B, and is made, preferably, with exterior screwthreads, allowing the stem to be screwed into a tapped hole at the center of the button-body A, and preferably into a metal boss, a fast to the metal facing or plate a of the body. The hole in the button-body, to receive the stem 0, passes clear through the body, allowing the body to be placed on the stem with either of its faces outward or exposed to View.

In using the buttons when the wearer is on duty, the button-bodies A will be screwed on or attached to the central button-stems, C, with their metal faces a outward, to show the sym- 'bolie characters thereon, and with their plain faces a within the shield B, and when the wearer is off duty the button-bodies Awill be removed from the stems O and reversed on the stems,to expose their plain faces a to view, as in Fig. 2, and the metal faces a of the buttons will be inclosed within the shield; or it may be only so much of said faces as is occupied by the lcttcrs or symbols, and whereby the fabric of the garment to which the buttons are attached will not be worn by the friction of these symbolic characters against the garment, which is quite objectionable.

The button-stem 0 need not be a serewstcm, as above described; but the screw-stem is preferred in practice.

I do not claim as my invention a button provided with a removable face plate or shield. Neither do I claim, broadly, a button having a reversible body portion and a back plate or shield adapted to cover either face of the button-body, as these constructions have heretofore been used; hence my claim to novelty is limited to features of construction, as hereinafter particularly set forth.

Having thus described myinvention, Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A button made with a reversible body part centrally apertured, and a back-shield adapted to cover one face of the button and provided at its outer face with a stem adapted to the aperture of the button-body, substantially as shown and described.

2. A button made with a reversible body part centrally apertured'and a back-shield adapted to cover one face of the button and provided at its outer face with astem adapted to the aperture of the button-body, and said shield provided also with an eye or holes for receiving attaching-thread, substantially as herein set forth.

3. The combination, in a button, of a reversible body part formed or provided at one face with symbolic letters,characters, or ornanients, and centrally apertured, and a backshield provided with a central stem adapted to the aperture of the body, substantially as shown and described, whereby when the body' is held to the stem with its plain face outward the shield will cover the symbols on the inner face of the body to prevent friction of them on the garment to which the button is attached, as set forth. i

4. The combination, in a button, of a reversible body, A, comprising a metallic facing, a, provided with symbolic characters, and a filling, a, providing a plain reverse face to the button, said body having a central screw-threaded aperture, a shield, B, adapted to cover one face of the button-body and provided with an eye or holes to receive thread for attaching thebutton to garment, and provided also with a central screw-threaded stem, 0, adapted to the aperture of the button body, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

Witnesses:

SOUT HRICK E. 'HEBBERD, C AS. E. BENTLEY.

- THOMAS W. Fox. 

